The Noble Art: Alchemy and Patronage in Early Modern Europe
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Date
2016-05
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Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
This project investigates why seventeenth-century royal and noble patrons chose to support alchemists in spite of the more established Hippocratic and Galenic physicians' condemnations. Through the dedicatory letters and prefaces of early modern alchemical texts, alchemists strove to create a perception of their art that would be appealing to patrons. Alchemy had the potential to reinforce monarchical authority, and used language that encouraged experimentation and acting in the interest of public welfare. This language connected to a new way of thinking that would lay the foundation for the Enlightenment.
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Keywords
Enlightenment, Alchemy, Patronage, Early Modern Europe, History, History of Science